Odisha government officially notified Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) as a National Park, covering an area of 845.70 sq km. This made it India’s 107th national park. It is the largest national park in Odisha, surpassing Bhitarkanika National Park, and becomes the second national park in the state.
Key Highlights
- Area notified as National Park: 845.70 sq km out of 2,750 sq km total area of Similipal Tiger Reserve.
- Largest national park in Odisha, overtaking Bhitarkanika (145 sq km).
- Remaining area of STR will continue as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Similipal is now India’s 107th national park and Odisha’s second after Bhitarkanika (designated national park in 1998).
- The notified area includes flora, fauna, and objects of historical and geographical importance.
Background and History
- The proposal to declare Similipal as a national park was first made in 1980, with earlier notifications in 1980 and 1986.
- The initial declaration was delayed due to villages in core zone of forest. While several settlements were relocated, Bakua village (61 families) remains inhabited and is excluded from national park area.
- With Similipal’s elevation, Odisha joins other states with multiple national parks.
Conservation Measures
- The state’s forest department is implementing the Greater Similipal Landscape Programme to secure the park and its ecological corridors.
- Measures include:
- Camera towers and AI-powered trail guard systems for surveillance.
- V-SAT communication networks for monitoring remote areas.
- A dedicated security force comprising police personnel and ex-servicemen.
- Recovery of Tiger Population: To diversify tiger gene pool and boost population recovery, two female tigers from Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) were introduced in Simplipal.
- Target: Increase Similipal’s tiger population to 100 tigers by 2036.
About Similipal Forest
- Location: Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, part of the Chotanagpur Plateau region.
- Major rivers: Burhabalanga, Palpala Bandan, Salandi, Kahairi, Deo.
- Flora: Sal trees, moist deciduous, and semi-evergreen forests.
- Fauna:
- Home to 40 Royal Bengal tigers.
- Shelters 25% of Odisha’s elephant population.
- Hosts 104 orchid species, many endemic.
- Supports 360+ bird species and diverse mammals like leopards, sambar, mugger crocodiles.
- Known globally as the world’ only habitat of wild melanistic (pseudo-melanistic) tigers (or so-called ‘black’, tigers), characterized by darker coats due to higher melanin.
Existing Conservation Status of Similipal:
Similipal holds multiple conservation designations:
- Wildlife Sanctuary
- Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger
- Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (since 2009)
- Part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve
What is a National Park?
- Definition: An area given the highest protection to conserve wildlife and environment for its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological importance.
- Human activity is prohibited, except activities permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden.
- Under Forest Rights Act, 2006, certain tribal groups are allowed to continue residing inside national parks.
- Declared by State Governments under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- Boundaries cannot be altered except on recommendation by National Board for Wildlife.
- National parks are meant to be inviolate zones, free from human habitation and livestock grazing.
- A national park cannot be downgraded to a wildlife sanctuary.
Significance
- Enhances Odisha’s conservation profile by adding a second national park.
- Recognition boosts efforts to protect India’s unique melanistic tiger population.
- Facilitates stronger ecological protection and potential for eco-tourism and scientific research.
- Supports India’s commitment to tiger conservation under Project Tiger and global biodiversity goals.